The Surgical Artist's Blog

“Body Contouring” is a term that refers to any procedure that reshapes and perfects the contours of the body. At Southern Surgical Arts, we offer a variety of surgical and non-invasive body contouring options, including traditional liposuction, liposculpture, and surgery. Sometimes we use a combination of approaches to achieve a patient’s aesthetic goals. Below are 15 reasons we love body contouring.

Are you ready to have your pre-baby body back but discouraged that your diet and exercise efforts haven’t been effective? Or, have you lost a significant amount of weight only to find you have excess, loose skin that hasn’t “tightened up” with time? In either situation, it’s common to have skin that has been pushed past its elasticity limit and can no longer bounce back.

We all look forward to long holiday weekends, not only to reflect on important dates in our nation’s history but also to recharge our batteries and come back to work refreshed. But have you ever thought about using that time to schedule your cosmetic procedure?

Right before a long holiday weekend is an ideal time to schedule certain cosmetic procedures so that you’ll have time to recover without using up your valuable vacation time. After all, one of the benefits of time off is returning to work looking refreshed and rejuvenated—now you can look even more so.

Question. I have always had an extra “pooch” of fat on my pubic bone that I feel embarrassed and self-conscious about. After two kids, it’s more prominent than ever, but now I’ve also got loose, saggy skin there. Is there anything you can do to make this area look better?

Lean, toned arms are the goal of many women, who spend countless hours at the gym trying to achieve them. Younger women who have maintained a steady weight over the years are more likely to be successful at sculpting their ideal arms through exercise alone. But for women (or men) who have lost significant weight, or whose skin is not as elastic as it once was, achieving those arms may seem like a constantly-moving mirage. As a result, the “arm lift” (or brachioplasty) has become one of the hottest trends in cosmetic surgery.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons recently reported that there has been a more than 4000% increase in the number of arm lifts performed since 2000, with more than 15,000 women undergoing the procedure in 2013.

If you’re considering a tummy tuck or ‘mommy makeover’ procedure, one factor you’re sure to consider is the scar that results from the procedure. While you’re likely excited about losing excess skin and fat and having your abdominal muscles tightened, one thing you don’t want is an overly-obvious scar that announces, “I’ve just had work done.” The best cosmetic surgery is as invisible and natural-looking as possible, and that’s why Southern Surgical Arts approaches each tummy tuck with a focus on artistry.

The infographic below illustrates possible placements for tummy tuck incisions and the location in relation to your panty or swimsuit lines. As you’ll see, our board-certified cosmetic surgeons, Dr. Chad Deal, Dr. Vincent Gardner, Dr. Justin Gusching and Dr. Micheal Kluska strive to place tummy tuck incisions below your clothing lines so that the focus will be on your smooth, shapely abdomen, not on your scar. Our award-winning surgeons will also craft a new belly button for you and will use liposuction to sculpt sleek new curves for a youthful, beautiful and natural-looking tummy you’ll be thrilled to show off at the pool and gym.

If you’re one of the nearly 14 million Americans with rosacea, you know how frustrating the condition can be. The characteristic redness on the cheeks, nose, and chin may eventually lead to visible blood vessels, small lumps and bumps and thickened skin. Adding to the frustration, one of the more popular “go-to” treatments for skin resurfacing—the chemical peel—will only irritate the sensitive skin of rosacea sufferers even more.

Even if you don’t have rosacea, redness may still be an issue for you. You may have “cherry” moles, port wine stains, or vascular lesions like surface capillaries. Or, you may have fresh surgical scars or stretch marks that are reddish in color and have not yet begun to fade.

Fortunately, advances in cometic laser technology mean that we can treat these red-hued lesions with more beautiful results than ever before, thanks to the Vbeam pulsed-dye laser at Southern Surgical Arts.

The Vbeam laser is the gold standard in treating red marks and lesions. It delivers an intense but gentle burst of light into targeted areas of the skin. The light is absorbed by the targeted blood vessels or red-pigmented areas in the skin (depending on which skin condition is being treated). The goal of this treatment is to fade the targeted red areas so they blend more readily into the surrounding skin.

One of the many attractive features of this treatment is that discomfort is minimal and there is little downtime. The Vbeam has a patented cooling technique that minimizes stinging. Your face may look slightly reddened for about 24-48 hours and you may experience some short-lived, mild swelling. Results will be influenced by factors including how long you’ve had the lesions and the locations on your body.

The Vbeam laser is most effective on patients with fair to medium skin tones. It is not recommended for darker skin tones because the contrast between the surrounding skin’s color and that of the treatment area may not be enough for the laser to target effectively.

To learn more about how Vbeam can help to reduce redness, please call Southern Surgical Arts at 423.266.3331. We are happy to share additional information with you.